Actuation means for signalling devices



Dec. 12, 1961 M. ROSEMAN 3,012,538

ACTUATION MEANS FOR SIGNALLING DEVICES Filed July 31, 1959 2e 62811 62 r I I 62 se if; I? l i, 6.

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INVENTOR.

MICHAEL ROSEMAN ATTORNEY,

United States Patent 3,012,538 ACTUATION MEANS FOR SIGNALLING DEVICES Michael Roseman, 1059 Union St., Brooklyn, N.Y. Filed July 31, 1959, Ser. No. 830,868 3 Claims. (Cl. 116-169) The present invention relates to actuation means for signalling devices sounding one or more tones such as those oftentimes used at the doors of apartment dwellings.

In the past mechanically actuated signalling devices sounding one or more tones usually comprised two apposed tone bars with a striker interposed on a snap action spring. The striking of the tone or tones was efiectuated by Fish, US. Patent #2,4l2,978 and by Miller US. Patent #2,465,655 by the translation of rotary motion to actuate the snap action of the striker snap action spring. Rotary motion actuation was efiectuated by direct rotation of a shaft which impinged on the snap spring, by a gear arrangement rotating a lever impinging on the snap spring or by a gear which rotated the snap spring base.

The gear arrangement or rotary motion actuation did not utilize the conventional push button for bell ringing and its interworking presented problems of cost and complication of manufacture and upkeep.

According to the present invention an inexpensive-tomanufacture, easy-to-maintain, push button actuation is provided in a signalling device for sounding one or more tones.

The object of the present invention is to provide direct lever actuation for a signalling device sounding one or more tones.

Other objects and advantages of this invention, residing in the novel features of construction, arrangement and combination of parts, will become more apparent from the description of the specific embodiments hereinafter following. It will be understood that certain features of the invention may be utilized other than in the entire arrangement disclosed.

The invention, however, is not intended to be restricted to any particular construction or product, or any particular arrangement of parts, or any particular applications of such construction or arrangement of parts, or any specific method of operation, or any of various details thereof, even where specifically shown and described herein, as the same may be modified in various particulars, or may be applied in many varied relations, without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention, practical construction embodying certain details of the invention being illustrated and described, but only for the purpose of complying with the requirements of the statutes for the disclosure of operative embodiments, but without attempting to disclose all of the various forms and modifications in which the invention might be embodied.

Although such novel features as are believed to be characteristic in the invention are pointed out in the claims, the invention itself, as to its objects and advantages and the manner in which they may be carried out, may be better understood by reference to the description following and the accompanying drawings;

FIGURE 1 shows an exploded view of a signalling device, a door plate and a push button.

FIGURE 2 shows a plan view of a signalling device without its outer cover.

FIGURE 3 shows a cross section side elevation of the signalling device of FIGURE 2 at line 33 attached to a door with its cover attached.

FIGURE 4 shows a cross section end elevation of the signalling device of FIGURE 2 at line 44 attached to a door with its cover attached.

FIGURE 5 shows a front elevation of a covered signailing device inside a door showing the location of both sets of tone holes.

Referring now to the figures in greater detail, where like reference numbers denote like parts in the various figures.

FIGURE 1 shows a signalling device 10 in an exploded view as it would be seen from the outside of a door without a door interposed. The doorplate 11' is afiixed to an outer door and is primarily for decoration.

The pushbutton 12 is on a shaft 13 which extends through the doorplate opening 14 and through the door 15 (FIGURES 3 and 4) where the pushbutton shaft groove 16 received the snap spring actuator arm 17 (FIG- URES 2, 3 and 4). The pushbutton shaft 13 and actuator arm 17 are movably attached with the actuator arm 17 in the pushbutton shaft groove 16 by means of a pin 18 (FIGURES 2, 3 and 4).

The actuator arm 17 pivots about the pin 19 in the groove 20 in post 21. (FIGURES 2, 3 and 4.) The tongue 22 of the snap spring pivot 23 rides in the actuator arm slot 24 (FIGURE 4). The snap spring pivot 23 is riveted to the snap spring 25 by rivet 26 (FIGURES 2 and 3) and rotates about an axis formed by the pivot hole 27 in back piece 28 and pivot hole 29 in pivot support 30. (FIGURES 2 and 3.) The actuator arm 17 with the attached pushbutton 12 and push button shaft are returned to normal position by the spring 31 attached to the actuator arm 17 and the back piece 28 (FIGURES 2 and 4).

The snap spring 25 has a tongue 32 (FIGURE 2) which fits through a hole 33 in the crossmounting spring 34. (FIGURES 2 and 3.) The crossmounting spring 34 is mounted on the fingers 35 and 36 of supports 37 and 38 which pass through grommets 39 and 40 in the crossmounting spring 34. (FIGURES 2 and 3.) The striker 41 with its two striking elements 42 and 43 is affixed at the approximate midpoint of the snap spring 25. The snap spring engaged between its pivot hole 29 and the hole 33 in the crossmounting spring is held in bowed positions, the crossmounting spring 34 also bows somewhat (FIGURES 2 and 3) and is resilient.

The tone chimes 44 and 45 are mounted on fingers 46, 47, 48 and 49 of the chime supports 50, 51, 52 and 53 which pass through grommets 54, 55, 56 and 57 in the tone chimes 44 and 45 (FIGURE 2). The tone chimes 44 and 45 are spaced on either side of the snap spring 25 with its mounted striker 41 and the elements 42 and 43.

A cover 58 (FIGURES 1, 3, 4 and 5) serves as a neat sound box and has holes 59 (FIGURES 1 and 2) and 60 (FIGURE 2) opposite the tone chimes 44 and 45 to permit the sound to better resonate. The cover 58 is affixed to the back piece 8 by means of screws 61 and 62 (FIG- URES 1, 3, 4 and 5).

In operation of the signalling device an inward push on pushbutton 12 is transmitted through the shaft 13 to the actuator arm 17 which rotates about a fulcrum, pin 19, in the post 21. Past the pin 19 the actuator arm slot 24 of the actuator arm 17 engages the snap spring pivot tongue 22 which receives sufficient pressure to rotate the whole snap spring pivot 23 with the lower part of the snap spring 25 attached around the axis formed by the pivot hole 27 in the back piece 28 and the pivot hole 29 in the pivot support 30. The ordinary pressure of pushing the pushbutton 2 with its leverage interreaction is suflicient to overcome the tension of the bowing in the snap spring 25 causing the snap spring 25 to snap over in a new bowed position. This snapping action causes the,

striker element 43 on the striker to strike the tone chimes 45 causing a signal.

Upon release of the pressure on pushbutton 12, the spring 31 causes the actuator arm 17 to return'to its normal position. In so doing the actuator arm slot 24 pivots the snap spring pivot tongue 22 which now rotates in the opposite direction causing the striker element 42 to signal the other tone chime 44.

It has been found that the snap spring 25 does not have to be located equidistantly between the tone chimes 44 and 45. Non-equidistant differences are compensated for by having the striker elements 42 and 43 of the striker 41 of varying lengths, where necessary, to reach the differential in distance beyond the snap action spring 25 bowing to strike the tone chimes 44 and 45. The eccentricity facilitates the ability to provide direct lever actuation of the snap spring 25. The complicated gear arrangements of the prior art are obviated The use of signalling devices in the home requires not only a nice appearance but symmetry in the location of the pushbutton 12 on the outside of a door and the signalling device and cover 58 on the inside of a door. The lever arrangement of the present invention permits lever pressure to be transmitted through a pointrof the signalling device 10 which raises no problems as to the symmetrical location of the Signalling device 10 in relation to the pushbutton 12.

The method of attachment of the snap spring25 to the snap spring pivot 23 provides an additional moment of force impinging on the snap spring 25 which permits only a small distance movement'of the pushbutton 12 on its shaft to be translated to ultimately actuate the striker 41.

The terms and expressions which are employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A signalling device comprising a base, a pair of chimes mounted on said base in substantial parallel relationship, a snap action member therebetween having a dual-action striker thereon, one end of said snap-action member being pivotally mounted on said base and having an end portion extending beyond said pivotal mounting, a lever pivotally mounted on said base and having a portion thereof engaging said end portion, and a push-button actuator engaging a second portion of said lever whereby movement of said push button will cause said snapnction member to be moved thus causing said striker to strike one chime and when released cause to strike the other chime.

2. A signalling device comprising a base, a pair of chimes mounted on said base in substantial parallel relationship, a snap action member mounted eccentrically therebetween having a dual-action striker comprising two striker elements of different lengths mounted thereon, one end of said snap-action member being pivotally mounted on said base and having a portion thereof engaging said end portion, and a push-button actuator engaging a second portion ofsaid lever whereby movement of said push button will cause said snap-action member to be moved thus causing said striker to strike one chime and when released cause to strike the other chime.

3. A signalling device comprising a base, a pair of chimes mounted on said base in substantial parallel relationship, a snap-action member mounted cccentrically therebetween having a dual-action striker comprising two striker elements of different lengths mounted thereon, one end of said snap-action member being pivotally mounted on said base and having a portion thereof engaging said end portion, a push-button actuator engaging a second portion of said lever whereby movement of said push button will cause said snap-action member to be moved thus causing said striker to strike one chime, and spring means adapted to cause said snap-action member to strike the other chime when said push-button is released.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,412,978 Fish Dec. 24, 1946 2,465,655 Miller Mar. 29, 1949 2,757,633 Rosernan Aug. 7, 1956 2,792,805 Roseman May 2, 1957 2,856,890 Rinker Oct. 21, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 634,107 Great Britain Mar. 15, 1950 

